Russian
Scientists Find That GE Soy Effects Rat Posterity(Beyond
Pesticides, November 10, 2005) On
October 10th Russian scientist, Dr. Irina Ermakova, made public the
results of a study looking at the effects of genetically engineered
(GE) soy on the offspring of rats. The results of the study show a significant
decrease in posterity survival rates of rats fed GE soy, versus rats
fed non-GE soy.

The
study, led by Dr. Ermakova, was conducted at the Institute of Higher
Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences
(RAS). The researchers observed three groups of rats: a control group,
a group fed GE soy, and a group fed regular soy. The non-control groups
were fed soy starting two weeks before conception and continuing through
pregnancy and nursing.

One of the most
immediate results that the researchers observed was the size difference
between the GE offspring and the other offspring. Two weeks after birth,
the 36% of the pups from the GE group weighed less than 20 grams, compared
to only 6% of the pups from the other groups.

Size was not the
only problem, however. Within three weeks of birth, a significant number
of the GE pups began dying. Twenty-five of the 45 (55.6%) rats from
the GE fed group died compared to only 3 of 33 (9%) from the non-GE
fed group, and 3 of 44 (6.8%) from the control group.

Dr. Ermakova wanted
to take the study even farther by analyzing major organs of both the
mothers and the offspring, however she had run out of money. Thus, she
considers her finding preliminary and hopes to continue her research
when there is proper funding.

Studies of this
kind are overwhelmingly important and may have much more significance
to humans than many people think. Dr. Ermakova explained, “the
morphology and biochemical structures of rats are very similar to those
of humans, and this makes the results we obtained very disturbing.”
Additionally, exposure to GE soy is probably more common than we assume
it is. Roundup Ready soy (a type of GE soy manufactured by Monsanto
and designed to survive the application of the herbicide Roundup) accounts
for approximately 85% of all soy grown in the US. What makes the situation
even more troubling is that soy and soy derivatives (oil, flour, lecithin,
etc.) are so prevalent in the processed food that we consume everyday.
This means that many of us take in Roundup Ready on a regular basis.

While Dr. Ermakova’s
study has provided us with important and significant evidence that GE
food has potentially dangerous side effects, it is not the only study
to do so. In May 2004 a British newspaper leaked secret research
done by Monsanto. The research showed that rats fed GE corn exhibit
health problems including kidney abnormalities and blood changes. None
of these abnormalities were present in rats that were fed non-GE corn
for the study.

In addition to a
small but significant number of studies showing adverse effects of GE
food, many problems have been observed and reported over the years by
farmers and other people who are in regular contact with GE products.
According
to Jeffery M. Smith, author of Seeds of Deception, “nearly
25 farmers in the US and Canada say that certain GM [genetically modified]
corn varieties caused their pigs to become sterile, have false pregnancies,
or give birth to bags of water. A farmer in Germany claims that a certain
variety of GM corn killed 12 of his cows and caused others to fall sick.
And Filipinos living next to a GM cornfield developed skin, respiratory,
and intestinal symptoms and fever, while the corn was pollinating. The
mysterious symptoms returned the following year, also during pollination,
and blood tests on 39 of the Filipinos showed an immune response to
the Bt toxin—created by the GM corn.”

In the wake of Dr.
Ermakova’s findings, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine
(AAEM) has passed a resolution
asking the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to sponsor an independent
follow-up of the study immediately. If the NIH is unresponsive the Institute
for Responsible Technology, a non-profit organization started by
Mr. Smith, will attempt to raise the money.

TAKE
ACTION: To protect yourself and your family, eat organic
when possible. American consumers have a right to choose for themselves
what kind of food they eat, and the U.S. government is acting irresponsibly
by denying that knowledge and that choice. Take two minutes to take
action on this issue by sending an online letter: go to The Center for
Food Safety's website to automatically send
a pre-written letter to the FDA demanding thorough safety testing
and mandatory labeling of GE products. Also check out the Institute
for Responsible Technology's website for information on how to pressure
manufacturers and food providers to stop producing and providing
GE food.